Al-Zarqawi mentor back in custody

RELATED

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS

(CNN) -- Jordanian authorities have re-arrested the spiritual mentor of the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, according to the Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya networks.

Issam Barqawi, better known as Abu Mohammed Al Magdisi, was apprehended by Jordanian security just days after he had been released from prison.

Al-Jazeera said he was detained during an interview with one of their correspondents.

It was not immediately clear why he was re-arrested.

In a statement posted on several Islamic Web sites earlier in the day, Barqawi offered praise to insurgents in Iraq, saying they have "carried their souls on their hands for the sake of protecting the religion and seek the victory for the nation -- and on the top of them, our brother, the beloved hero, mujahid, Abu Musab Zarqawi, God bless him."

He said he had not given any interviews since his recent release because he feared his words would be misused by "the enemies of God, or it might be misunderstood and hurt our brothers," the mujahideen.

Barqawi was a teacher and mentor of the Jordanian-born Zarqawi, with both of them first meeting in Pakistan in 1991.

Jordan arrested both men in 1994, and Barqawi is said to have taught Zarqawi the importance of jihad, or holy war, during that prison term.

However, the two disagreed over the killing of civilians as part of jihad.

Barqawi was found not guilty last year of plotting to attack U.S. targets in Jordan, including the U.S. embassy in Amman.

He remained in custody until Sunday when he was released after six months, with no evidence found against him.